September 8, 2008

Pilot and Passenger Safe After Emergency Landing Near Airport

A PILOT escaped unscathed after being forced to make an emergency landing in a field a mile from Cardiff airport last night.

It is believed the pilot was forced to make the landing after the engine of his light aircraft, a Robin 200, cut out.

The pilot, a member of the Cardiff Flying Club, is believed to have been flying circuits when the engine failure forced him to land as he approached Cardiff International Airport. He landed about a mile from the airport in a field just short of runway one to two, to the west of the airport at about 5.51pm last night. Both the pilot and his passenger walked away from the aircraft unharmed.

Local emergency services, as well as the airport fire crew, attended the scene. After the emergency landing, the airport was closed for about 10 to 15 minutes.

It later reopened and flights continued as normal.

The closure caused a 10-minute delay to the outbound KLM flight to Amsterdam and inbound bmibaby flight from Glasgow.

The aircraft last night remained at the landing site and South Wales Police officers were also called.

Airport public relations manager Cassie Harwood-Munton confirmed last night that the pilot had been doing circuits and had been forced to make an emergency landing after his engine cut out.

"We understand it was an engine failure which is why the pilot made the forced landing," she said.